Thoughts and Theories about Harry Potter

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Percival Graves

Usually, on Saturdays, I sort characters from other stories into Hogwarts Houses. But today, I’m going to look at the Fantastic Beasts characters instead. Since they come from America rather than Britain, none of the new characters except Newt Scamander have Hogwarts houses. Here are my thoughts on where they’d be sorted if they’d gone to Hogwarts instead of Ilvermorny:

I tried not to give away the biggest plot twist, but Fantastic Beasts spoilers ahead!

Tina Goldstein: Gryffindor. Tina struggles to be brave, but only because trying to play hero has left her scarred in the past. At heart, she’s someone who follows her gut and stands up for what’s right, and she finds that part of herself again over the course of the movie.

Queenie Goldstein: Slytherin. If it’s even possible for a Slytherin to have such a big heart and warm personality – which I think it is. Queenie is quite capable of using what she learns via legilimency to manipulate others, especially to protect her loved ones. She’s skilled at coming up with believable lies and gets the others out of a near-death situation by being cunning rather than by rushing in to fight. The only part I’d hesitate on is ambition, because Tina is the career-minded sister. But like most Slytherins, Queenie will do anything to achieve her goals. It’s just that her goals aren’t power, money, or other things we normally associate with ambition.

Jacob Kowalski: Hufflepuff. Jacob is the most “normal” character in the movie, and his down-to-earth personality is reflected in his goal: to start a bakery and make a living doing something he loves. He quickly becomes loyal to Newt and is eager to see himself as part of the group, reminding Queenie at a key moment that she herself said he was one of them. While Newt – unusually for a Hufflepuff – struggles at dealing with people and gets along better with his magical creatures, Jacob is a natural people person.

Seraphina Picquery: Slytherin. As President of MACUSA, Seraphina is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain the International Statute of Secrecy – whether that means standing up to Grindelwald, arresting Newt, or ordering the death of an emotionally broken young man. While the other houses might debate what can be justified “for the greater good”, Slytherins are more pragmatic and tend to believe that the ends justifies the means.

Modesty Barebone: Gryffindor. I’m basing this mostly on the moment when she admits the wand is hers instead of letting Credence take the blame. That’s a very brave thing to do, especially since she’s seen firsthand their mother’s cruelty and hatred of witchcraft.

Credence Barebone: Hufflepuff. Credence was probably the hardest character to sort because his internal conflict overshadows anything else we might see of his character. He’s repressed not only his magic but much of his individuality. However, he is in search of a place to belong and someone to be loyal to, and goes to great lengths to try to conform to the group he’s part of. He is desperate for human connection despite the lack of love in his family, as seen in his relationships with Percival Graves and Modesty. Emotional isolation is hard for almost anyone, but especially for Hufflepuffs, who thrive as part of a group.

Mary Lou Barebone: Gryffindor. As the leader of an anti-witchcraft movement, Mary Lou would no doubt be horrified to know I’d sorted her into a Hogwarts house, but all the more reason to do it. Gryffindors often fight for a cause they believe in, and that’s exactly what Mary Lou is doing, in a very twisted way. Her cause is based in hatred, but she stands up for it as boldly as any Gryffindor. I hesitated to put her there, however, because she’s not just a well-intentioned crusader doing awful things “for the greater good”. Her cruelty towards her children is absolutely horrific and not something that can be justified by her belief that she’s fighting evil. But as seen with Peter Pettigrew, Gryffindors can be capable of evil. Mary Lou is not cunning or ambitious, not loyal or fair, and certainly not intelligent or wise. She fits Gryffindor by far the best out of the four houses.

“You want to join the wizarding world,” one of the latest Fantastic Beasts promos begins. “I want those things, too.”

Wait … things, plural? What else was on that list? I have some ideas, but I’ll get to them later. The same voice continues: “There’s something else. Something I haven’t told you.”

Yes, that’s the sign of the Deathly Hallows, and that’s Percival Graves talking to Credence Barebone, again. Unlikely allies is a pretty big understatement, with one being a wizard and the other a Second Salemer, but I’m more convinced than ever that they’re working together on something, and I’m certain Graves is working for Grindelwald. Why? Because this is not the first time he’s been linked with the sign of the Deathly Hallows, which of course was used by Grindelwald during the same time period when the movie takes place. It’s right there on his poster:

It’s also not the first time he’s said things that sound like Grindelwald. “We’ve been living in the shadows for too long” comes straight out of Grindelwald’s talk about wizards revealing themselves and dominating muggles.

So here’s a theory: Credence Barebone – adopted son of the Second Salem leader – is in fact a wizard. Because of the strict American separation of the magical and “no-maj” worlds, as well as his family’s anti-magic views, he never had the chance to attend Ilvermorny or be a part of the wizarding world. Percival Graves is drawn to Grindelwald’s ideas as an alternative to Rappaport’s Law and a way to bring down the New Salem witch hunters – or maybe just because he’s power-hungry, depending on how (un)sympathetic a character he turns out to be. He discovers Credence’s secret and draws him into their plans, with the conflict between their faction and the Second Salemers unfolding at the same time that Newt’s magical creatures get loose – and, of course, the two plotlines becoming tangled together.